Getting your daily recommendation of EFA (essential fatty acids) can be easier and yummier than you thought! I was inspired to make my own recipe of this topping after trying some at the outdoor winter farmer’s market here in Vancouver.

What’s with the EFAs?

Essential Fatty Acids are just that, essential. Our bodies cannot create them therefore we must get them from the foods we eat. EFAs are important for healthy skin, blood cholesterol, wound healing, and have been associated with improving symptoms of PMS. [1] There are two EFAs, omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega 6 (linoleic acid). Don’t worry about the big words…unless you want to. In our conventional over processed diet, we tend to eat an overwhelming amount of omega 6, which you would think was a good thing. Not so my dears, not so.

Consuming too many omega 6 fatty acids from the wrong foods and not consuming enough omega 3s can actually have a negative effect on your body. Conditions like noninslin-dependent diabetes, obesity, coronary heart disease and chronic inflammation are just a few related to this imbalance. By incorporating whole foods that are naturally high in omega 3s you can help balance out your EFAs and get the right track. Plus, if you aren’t a big fish oil fan (I happen to love the effect of cod liver oil!), this recipe can be a good alternative.

Hemp Hearts: Love it, love it, love it! Hemp seeds are an amazing source for your EFAs and are also high in protein. My favorite brand is Manitoba Harvest (you can shop for hemp hearts whilst you continue reading:)

Pumpkin Seeds: A great source of zinc, Vitamin E, iron, copper and commonly known for their benefit in prostate health, pumpkin seeds need to be incorporated into your life more than just around Halloween.

Sesame Seeds: Another zinc filled seedling, sesame seeds are one of the most widely used seeds in the world, and it’s not wonder. Sesame seeds are about 20% protein, high in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Sunflower Seeds: Don’t let these baseball loving babies fool you! They are all-stars in the categories of protein, vitamin Bs and fiber (the highest of any seed). Add to that the vitamin D, copper, manganese and potassium, sunflower seeds are one heck of a player in this mix.

Flax Seeds: This is where all the omegas hang out! Flax seeds are an excellent source of your EFAs because they contain the essential building blocks for both omega 3 and omega 6. Flax seeds are also a great source of fiber but are easier to digest if they are ground. It is recommended to grind whole flax seeds versus buying them ground in efforts to keep the oils from getting rancid. Flax oil is very sensitive to heat and light. Just another reason to keep this mix refrigerated.

With a roster like that, you can imagine how awesome this mix taste. Plus, it’s great on top of pretty much everything.

Salads

Blended or sprinkled into soup

Smoothies

Ice cream

Granola

Yogurt

Top your favorite casserole

You get what I mean by everything! I made mine with all raw ingredients but it gives a whole different taste if you lightly toast the seeds in your oven. Either way, you will want to refrigerate you crumbly goodness to maintain its freshness and protect the oils in the seeds.

Ingredients

1 c raw pumpkin seeds

1 c raw sunflower seeds

1 c raw hemp hearts

1/2 c untoasted white sesame seeds

1/2 c raw flax seeds

Directions

Place all ingredients into your blender, food processor, Vitamix or any other glorified blender you may own

Turn on low speed while gradually increasing the speed

Blend the seeds until they are chopped up nice and small

Be careful not to blend too long (we are not making butter–however you could if you wanted to!)